Cotton-seed cutter



W. R. PINCKNEY.

COTTON SEED CUTTER.

APPLICATION F|LEDJULY3.1920.

1,355,777. E Patented oct. 12,1920.

A TTRNE Y lso ` signed toovercome the present defects and UNITED STATES WILLIAM RICHMOND PINCKNEY, 0F LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

COTTON-SEED CUTTER.

1o all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RICHMOND IINCKNEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Seed Cutters, of which the following is a specification.V

This invention relates to an improved appliance or implement for cutting cotton seeds and the like for the purpose of grading and testing the same inv order to determine the quality and market value of the seed, the prices quoted being based on whether ornot the seeds are damaged and are prime or ripe.

According to the present method employed by cotton seed buyers, graders, oil mills andginners, all cotton seed is now boughton grade, and the present method of arriving at the quality is veryvcumbersome and crude, in'V that, after drawing a sample of twenty-live pounds of cotton seed, one hundred seeds are cut open and the meats examined to, determine if they have been damaged or are prime. Y

The seeds are cut one at a time, generally with a pocket knife, and this method consumes a great deal of time and energy. With the device constituting the subject matter ofthe present invention twenty-five seeds can beopened at one operation and the meats exposed for examination, thus shortening the time required for the grading of any given lot of seed by one half. VOf course, it is to 'be understood that the size and capacity, ofthe device can be varied and that it may bemade to accommodate one hundred seeds so that the cutting operation can be effected with one stroke of the same.

The present invention kis therefore deobjections to the present method of cutting the seed and to construct the cutter in a simple manner which facilitates its operation and `permits it to be economically proy duced, in addition to obviating the possibility ofthe seeds being pulled from the base holes of the device owingto the presenceof lintv on the seeds and the tendency thereof to adhere to the relatively movable parts of t the device.

Other and further objectsiiof my invention will becomek readily apparent lto per- Specication of Letters Patent.

PATENT OFFICE.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Application led'July 3, 1920. iSerial No. 393,940.

, sons skilled in the art, from a consideration 4of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying draw-l ings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an' elevation of the device withl the parts in open positions,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved cotton seed cutter,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view transversely on l the line 8-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. et is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2, and

Fig.` 5 is an enlarged end elevation of the device looking toward the pivoted end of the e blade.

Y Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, my improved cottonl seed cutter is shown as comprising a plurality. of hinged and pivotal Vor relatively movable sections including a base l0 of rectilinear formation and preferably made of a strip of wood or the like of suitable thickness and rectangular outline and cross section having ar-l ranged thereon in rows in staggered or other relation, a plurality of cells formed by semi-circular holes or semi-spherical depressions 1n the Inner face of the base as indicated at 11, these depressions being suffi- 'cientlyA large to accommodate theI Yseeds therein, being preferably from about -13-6- of an inch to inch deep by g inch in diameter. Of course it is to. be understood that any ynumber of such depressions are provided accordingto the size and capacity of the device, but in the. drawings I have illustrated twenty-five of such depressions.

' Hinged to one longitudinal edge of the i base 10 is a second section or cap 12, similar in construction tothe base, the hinges thereofindicated at 13 being so arranged as to permit the base and cap to be spaced apart in parallel relationwhen the device is closed,

as distinguished .from the open position* when'the base and lcap are arranged'in alinement as particularly indicated yin Fig. 1, of the drawings with the faces thereof eX- posed.` The face of the'cap 12 opposing the corresponding face or inner side ofthe base# 10 is provided with a plurality of projecting resilient or cushioning members 14 in the form of rubber tips to facilitate attachment, although they may be substituted,

of a transverse pivot or bolt is a knife or blade 16, the pivoted end thereof'being rounded and apertured for this purpose and the bolt serving as means for adjusting the tension of the blade against the face of the base and for securely retaining the same in position for pivotal movement in a plane parallell to the base and snugly in contact with the face thereof having the depressions at 19 in rabbeted formation,

11. The blade 16 is preferably tapered towardits free end, and provided with a shank extension 17 to which a handle 18 is secured in order to manipulate the blade of the cutter, while the edges of the base and cap are preferably recessed as indicated to accommodate the handle and permit the straight edge of thev blade to move entirely across the faces between the base and cap when in closed relation.

Also pivoted to the bolt 15 together' with l the blade of the cutter is a strip 20 constituting a guide having a series of perforaf-tions 21 therethrough corresponding in relative position to the relation of the depressions 11 and the resilient projections 14:,.so that all three will be in alinementwhen the parts are related as shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, of the drawings. `The strip forming the guide is apertured to receive the bolt 15, and the end Vthereof is likewise rounded similar to the blade 16, in order lto permit pivotal movement thereof between the sections constituted by the base- 10 and thecap 12, as indicated at 22 whereby the blade and guide mayiswing between or from between the base and cap in planes parallel thereto and to each other, the blade being vadapted to intercept the path of the* apertures in the cutting operation. y The headed y end of the bolt is disposed innermost as indicated at 23 and is provided with a washer V24 thereon, the head and Washer'being accommodated iny a recess 25 in thev inner face of the cap 12 so thatthe parts may move into properfrelative positions when the device is inuse. Thenut 26 is embedded in the outer yface of the base 10 and serves as means for adjustingthe tension between the hinged parts independently ofV the hinged connection between the base and the cap.

Vhen Vthe parts are'related as shown in 1Figs. 2 to -5 inclusive of the drawings, the

4 bladev and guide n being positioned in .alinement between'the closed'sectons Of th? device constituted by the base10 and the cap 12, they are adapted to be held in thisrelation, suitable means being provided for the purpose. "It should be notedA from Fig. 2 of the drawings that the blade is disposed in' an inclined position at its back edge, the

Vhandle projecting from one end of the body or holder constituted by the baseand cap when in Vassembled relation.` Clamping means are provided at the ends of the device to secure the sections in assembled relation, and as shown, these'devices are in the form of right angular clamping strips 27 pivoted to the ends of the base 10 as by means of staples 28, the strips being provided with openings or apertures 29 for this f purpose and the end portions 30 of the strips being directed at right angles and enlarged i'n. width so as to engage the ends of the sections 10 and 12 and against the outer face of the section 12 forming the cap of the device. By this means, the parts are held closed with sufficient pressure to permit properl clamping action therebetween, but not such as to prevent free movement of the knife or blade when the device is in use.

In the use of the device, theV cap and base are opened out and the knife or blade swung to one side on the pivot 15 with the guide or holder 2O disposedinV alinement withY the base so that the perforations therethroughv will aline with the holes or depressions in the base; In the proper use of device, the cutter is held with the handle'of the knife toward the operator, holding hand with the blade toward the left, the clamps being then released from their positions holdingrthe base and Ycap 'or top together. The blade is then pulled back until all of the holes are clear, when the seeds can be easily put into the holes 'or depres sions byrtaking'a handful of them and rubbing them into the openings flint and all. The guideV is preferably about gg of a inch itin the left thick and the proper widthto coverthe base, the perforations thereinmatching the holes or depressions in the base whileV the perforationsserveto receive the seeds and guide them into the base holes or'depr'essions. The perforations are large enough to take Careof the largest varieties .of seed and the holes or depressions inthe base are Vofsuch a size and depth to takeV care ofv the small seeds as well as the large ones.' The cap is then clamped down against the base,

vthe resilient projectionsl or tips thereof eX- tending through Vand into the perforations 21 of the guide so as' to force the seeds `in the depressions of the base. By swinging the knife between the base and guide, the seeds will be simultaneously cut in two, it being understood that the seeds are forced into the depressions inthe base yby means of theprojections on the cap orV topy portion of the` body of the device. After the kseeds are cut, the cap is raised, the clamping means at the ends being first released. The guide is then swung laterally while maintaining the knife blade in position to cover the' seeds retained in the cups or depressions of the base, the blade being sufficiently broad to keep the seeds from being pulled from the base holes by the guide, owing to the fact that there is more or less lint left on the seeds, thereby rendering this a necessary and desirable feature of the invention. Theguide having been swung aside, the blade can then be similarly swung from on the base', thus exposing the seeds which havebeen cut and permitting the convenientexamination thereof to determine the grade.V

1n view of the foregoing it is thought that the operation of the device will be readily understood and in view of the simplicity and practical value that it will commend itself to those skilled in the art.

However, it is to be vunderstood that the device is to be used in cutting the seed after the same have been through the gin. The lint remainingis hardly more than 150 pounds to the ton of cotton seed, it being understood that it is not possible to use the device to cut seed while in the lint or before ginning. Also, the base l0 is provided with a recess at its innerface opposite the pivoted end of the knife to form a shoulder l0 to accommodate the guide or strip 20 and support the latter in position as well as to keep it from obstructing the entry or passage of the knife between the base and guide, which latter is supported at one end by the pivot and at the other end by the shoulder. This provides for a space of about onesixteenth of an inch thick, or the thickness of the cutting blade, between the guide and the base, so as to prevent the cutter, when the clamp is in place and the cutter is closed, from interfering with the operation of the knife or cause too much friction such as would interfere with the free movemenet of the knife during the cutting operation.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is:

1. ln a cotton seed cutter, a holder provided with a series of depressions, means including a series of projections coperating therewith for guiding and forcing the seeds into said depressions, and a cutter operated between the same whereby the seeds may be cut simultaneously and the meat thereof exposed. v

2. A seed cutter of the class described comprising a holder consisting of a base section and cap section movably connected thereto, said base being provided with cups and the sectionhaving resilient procctions and disposed for alinement with the cup zneans for holding said base and cap in closed relation, a guide interposed between the base and cap andhaving perforations therein adapted to aline with the cups and projections, and a blade movable across the base between the latter and the guide.

SJA seed comprising a 'holder consisting of a base section and a cap'section movably connected thereto, said base being provided with cups and the cap section having resilient projections and disposed for alinement with the cups, meansfor holding said base and cap in closed relation, a guide interposed between the base and cap and having perforations therein adapted to aline with the cups and projections, a blade movable across the base between the latter and the guide, said guide and blade being hinged to the base for disposition between the latter and the cap, and a handle on the blade extending outwardly of and beyondone end of the y base.

cutter of the class described4 4. A cutterof the class described comprising the combination with a base having a series of rows of semi-circular depressions therein and a top member having a series of resilient projections arranged in rows to aline with the depressions of the base; of means for guiding the seeds into the depressions-and holding the projections from extendingthereinto, and cut or operative between the last named means and the base to move across the face thereof provided with the depressions whereby to cut the seeds therein.

5. A cutter of the class described comprising the combination with a base havingr a series of rows of semi-circular depressions therein and a top member having a series of resilient projections arranged in rows to aline with the depressions of the base; means whereby said base and top may be moved relatively to open and closed positions, a cutter operative across the base depressions, and means for cooperation with said depressions and projections to hold the seeds, whereby the blade may be moved to cut the same while remaining out of engagement with the projections. Y

6. The combinacion, with an elongated base having a series of cups for receiving cotton seed or the like, a top hinged thereto for movement toward and away from the same, said top when moved toward the base being exposed in spaced relation with respect thereto, resilient project-ions on the col 4 Y' i ,1,355,777

itween the guide and base Vfor movement across the latter to cut the seeds held in the cups thereof.

7. A cutter of the class ldescribed comprising the combination with a base having a series or rows oi semi-circular depressions v`therein .and a topniember having a series a knife pivoted to the base together with the guide, for movement between the latter andagainst the face of the base provided with the depressions to cut the seeds by movement across the base.

8. A cotton seed cutter comprising a pair of hinged strips for movement in open pol sitions or toward each otheriin spaced parallel relation, one face of one of said sections disposedtoward the corresponding .i

face of the other projection being provided with holes therein, resilient tips projecting Vfrom the corresponding face of the other section to engage said holes vand conforming thereto, clamps carried by the ends of. one section to engage the ends'of-the other` section and hold Vthe same detachably t o Y ward each other, a b lade and a guide strip pivoted to one of said sections at its` inner face disposed toward therother section 'von a,

single pivot Vmeniber,said blade being designed to extendacross the irstnamed section and having a cutting. edge of rectilinear formatiomsaidblade having a shankportion extending from the sections, anda handleA thereon, and saidguide strip having perforations therethrough to aline with said holes and tips for receiving the seed therein, said seedbeing forced into the holes by means of the tips when the sections are Vin Y closed relation, and movement .of the blade between the guide and theV section provided with the holes serving to cutrthe seed held therein.,

WILLIAM Vrioiiilioim PINGKNEY. 

